Mole or Basque cheesecake are some of the exotic alternatives offered by Japanese stores instead of the chocolates that women usually give to men for Valentine's Day in Japan, given the fall in global cocoa production and its rising prices.

Shops in Japan are really on top of their holiday displays. As soon as the clocks strike 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 25, the Christmas trees turn into New Year’s decorations. These then change to oni (demon) masks faster than you can say mamemaki (bean throwing) for Setsubun.

One change is fewer people are handing out chocolates to others at work, which had been a widespread practice over the past few decades.